Lyrica losing it's effectiveness in controlling my migraines.

By wolfiewoman Tuesday, June 02, 2009

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When I first started taking Lyrica, it worked wonders, now I have been fighting off hot flashes and migraines. It hasn't been pretty!!!! I'm getting frustrated because I already live paycheck to paycheck, I have insurance but paying co-pays and then paying for prescriptions is tapping me. I feel like I would be better off in a dark quiet room laying on my bed with all the fans in the house directed at me (if there was a way to make them quiet!) I have been through so many of the treatments (prescriptions, diet, life changes) that I'm beginning to wonder what now! It really sucks because no one in my family (parents, grandparents, etc.) has/had migraines but now my oldest daughter gets menstrual migraines......Sorry I'm feeling sorry for myself!!!!

Angry Frustrated and Depressed?

Comments (7) | Add comment

Nancy Harris Bonk, Health Guide

6/ 3/09 5:29pm

I know how easy it is to feel as if you've tried everything out there, but there are so many medications that can be used for Migraine and headache prevention that it's literally impossible. Lyrica may not be the drug for you. You can find a list of potential Migraine and headache preventives in Migraine preventive medications - too many options to give up!

I know you're going through a rough time. If you'd like some additional support, come join our discussion forum. You'll need to register again once there because it's a separate membership database, but you can use the same member name, email address, and password that you used here. You can find our forum at http://forums.healthcentral.com/discussion/migraine/forums.

Helena

6/ 5/09 12:22pm

It doesn't hurt me to be a well-informed patient, proactive in my treatment. I see a neurologist for my migraines. He's great, but I also got fed up with cost and lack of improvement. I found 2 resources quite helpful, i'm now off my 5 simultaneous preventive meds and suppliments and working on diet and decreasing attack med use. Things are starting to improve. The resources: Heal you Headache, The 1-2-3 Program for taking charge of your pain. by David Buchholz, MD used together with

Dealing with Food Allergies: A Practical Guide to Detecting Culprit Foods and Eating a Healthy, Enjoyable Diet. by Janice Vickerstaff Joneja, PhD.

I'm not affiliated with the authors or publishers in any way; I'm just a daily chronic migraineur trying to get off the rebound migraine train. And these are not quick, easy methods, but I find them worth it. Best wishes to your good health. -Helena

megdrex

6/ 5/09 9:53pm

This is truly a great book and what grabbed me from the beginning was something he said about doctors disliking their migraine patients. I have always felt this, and I am still seeing my neurologist (I did finally find a nice one), but I have stopped some of the meds on my own and am (trying) to follow Buchholz's diet. Just buy it and read it!!- it makes a lot of sense - I had no idea, for instance, that the Effexor my NEUROLOGIST put me on (as a "migraine-friendly" antidepressant) was actually a migraine TRIGGER. If you are on anti-depressants, most of the newer SSRIs and SNRIs will only make the migraines worse. At least, that's what I have found. I also stopped eating peanut butter and bananas - my 2 crave foods that I ate at least twice a day for years and years despite reading everywhere that they were triggers. My migraines are better - not perfect, but then I am not following the book perfectly. Good luck and keep the faith - there are a lot of treatments out there and you WILL get better - DON'T give up and don't let anyone tell you what to do.

Abi A

6/ 6/09 10:44am

Helena,

If you haven't read Living Well with Migraine Disease and Headaches by Teri Robert, an expert right here on this site, pick up a copy or check it out at your library. I thought the Buchholtz book was good until I read Living Well. It's incredible!

Shalom.

Abi

Abi A

6/ 6/09 10:48am

megdrex,

I like parts of the Buchholtz book, but have discovered that parts of it are wrong too. (I work for a Migraine specialist AND do my own research as you do.)

Pick up a copy of Living Well with Migraine Disease and Headaches. You won't be sorry!

Shalom,

Abi

megdrex

6/ 6/09 8:23pm

Abi,

Thanks so much, I will definitely pick up "Living Well". One problem I am having is completely quitting caffeine, which I think is step #1 in the Buchholtz book. It's step #1 in a lot of other places too...I have been able to moderate, but sometimes I just feel like, if I have to give up ALL of the things he suggests....for one thing, it's so so hard to find food without MSG (or things that are disguised, BUT ARE MSG.) I know tea is definitely more of a trigger for me than other sources of caffeine. Alcohol in ANY form is an INSTANT trigger, so I don't drink any more.

Thanks again and Shalom,

megdrex

wolfiewoman

6/ 7/09 9:18pm

I will look into the book, I know all of my triggers and have stayed away from them, no garlic, tomatoes, beer or malt beverages, less than 6 hours sleep more than 8 hours sleep, I still occasionally eat chocolate, but it is dark chocolate when I eat it. I also try to stay away from MSG, but unless you go to an organic or health food store, pretty much everything has it in it, even disguised as Natural FLavors! My old neuro told me if I was going to drink to drink clear liquor so I drink rum or vodka very rarely. The killer for me at least in the last couple of years has been changes in barometric pressure-when it rains or becomes real humid, talk about a humdinger of a migraine! Throw in the fact that my hot flashes can sometimes bring on a migraine and I am royally screwed. I will check out the book mentioned by a couple of fellow migraine sufferers and see what happens!!

Lyrica losing it's effectiveness in controlling my migraines.

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